Phenyl-containing silicone polymers with high refractive indices are known to have some dimethylsiloxane-like properties, organic compatibility and chemical stability to strong media.
Phenylsilsesquioxane fluids are useful for incorporation into cosmetic formulations, without any chemical reactions, to provide silicone benefits without emulsification. An example of such a use is described in Barone et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,039,518.
In a previously filed U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/789,277, a significant advance in the state of the art of neutral branched phenylsilsesquioxane fluids was disclosed wherein the compounds were prepared with substantially no detectable silanol (SiOH), substantially no alkoxysilane (SiOR) where R is a monovalent hydrocarbon substituent, substantially no detectable chlorosilane, and substantially no free organic and inorganic compounds present.
Alkyl-containing silicone polymers typically have somewhat lower refractive indices than their corresponding phenyl-containing silicone analogs; however, they do exhibit organic compatibility and chemical stability to strong media. Branched alkylsilsesquioxane polymers are not known wherein the alkyl group ranges from hexyl to tetradecyl. Furthermore, the utility of these compounds in applications such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,039,518 are not known.
Additionally, it is well known that the phenylsilsesquioxane polymers break down into benzene and phenols after use of the cosmetic products into which they are incorporated. Such compounds are detrimental to the environment. Accordingly, the development of a replacement for the phenysilsesquioxane polymers which does not have the environmental drawback of breaking down to benzene and phenol would solve a long felt need in the art. Such a need is met by the alkylsilsesquioxane compounds of the present invention which break down to environmentally friendly carbon dioxide and water.
It is noted here that hexylsilsesquioxane monomer was disclosed in J. Chem. Soc. (Dalton Transactions) 3127 (1994) as synthesized by platinum catalyzed hydrosilylation of hexene-1 by HSi(OSiMe.sub.3).sub.3. No yield or purity for this reaction is reported. Also United Kingdom Patent No. 1,426,783 describes a hexylsilsesquioxane monomer and a tetradecylsilsesquioxane monomer prepared by a synthesis process in the absence of added water with low yield and a tertiary amyl chloride by-product. Thus, neither prior art process describes preparing polymeric alkylsilsesquioxanes, nor do they describe processes to produce the alkylsilsesquioxane at high purity.